Mount Wrightson via Old Baldy Trail in Coronado National Forest, AZ

Hike Mount Wrightson via Old Baldy Trail Coronado National Forest, AZ

Class 1 10.2 miles 4200 gain 5-7 hrs Out + Back Mar 12, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mount Wrightson via Old Baldy Trail GPX Track

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Mt. Wrightson is the highest point in the Santa Rita Mountains. There are two trails to the summit from Madera Canyon, the Old Baldy Trail and the Super Trail. The former is steeper and shorter, while the latter seems to pretty much circumnavigate most of Mt. Wrightson. I intended to combine the two trails to make a loop, but after summiting Mt. Wrightson, I was able to pretty much follow the Super Trail's route and decided the extra few miles weren't really worth the effort and just headed back down the Old Baldy Trail. The first half of the trail is covered with trees with some glimpses of Mt. Wrightson, and after reaching the Josephine Saddle, you start to get nicer views of Mt. Wrightson and also back down Madera Canyon.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Wrightson
9453 ft
4578 rise

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Views through the trees like this for most of the first half of the Old Baldy Trail.
Views through the trees like this for most of the first half of the Old Baldy Trail.
Image 1 from gallery
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Image 3 from gallery
Pretty lush relative to the other hikes this close to Tucson, AZ.
Pretty lush relative to the other hikes this close to Tucson, AZ.
Mt. Wrightson ahead.
Mt. Wrightson ahead.
Josephine Saddle, where lots of trails converge.
Josephine Saddle, where lots of trails converge.
After Josephine Saddle, the views open up significantly.
After Josephine Saddle, the views open up significantly.
Image 8 from gallery
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Image 10 from gallery
Passing Bellows Spring.
Passing Bellows Spring.
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Trail starts to switchback a lot as you near the Baldy Saddle.
Trail starts to switchback a lot as you near the Baldy Saddle.
Mt. Wrightson ahead, from the Baldy Saddle.
Mt. Wrightson ahead, from the Baldy Saddle.
Just past the Baldy Saddle looking northeast.
Just past the Baldy Saddle looking northeast.
Image 17 from gallery
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Image 19 from gallery
Josephine Peak down to the left, on the way up Mt. Wrightson.
Josephine Peak down to the left, on the way up Mt. Wrightson.
Image 21 from gallery
Looking south from the Mt. Wrightson summit.
Looking south from the Mt. Wrightson summit.
Looking north up Madera Canyon from Mt. Wrightson summit.
Looking north up Madera Canyon from Mt. Wrightson summit.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!